St. Luke 2:41–52
In the name of the Father and of the + Son
and of the Holy Spirit –
“Epiphany” means “manifestation” or “revelation.”
This idea is central to the Christian faith because our religion is not made up
by men. It has been made known by God Himself. We have not discovered anything
about Him. He has revealed Himself to us. We have not peered into the secrets
of God’s mind. He has made Himself manifest to us in the flesh. In His Word He
tells us who He is. Christianity is no scavenger hunt and no second hand
knowledge. The Lord God Himself comes to us and tells us who He is.
The Gospel reading today is
unique in our Lord’s earthly life. At His conception He was made known by the
angel Gabriel. At Christmas, His birth, He was revealed by more angels and made
known to others by shepherds. At Epiphany, His splendor was made manifest by
the star and He was revealed by the Scriptures to wise men. But here in the
Temple, at twelve years old, He manifests Himself. Along with His first
recorded words in the Bible, we have His first self-epiphany, first
self-revelation. The boy Jesus, God in the flesh, tells us who He is with His
own lips. And
all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
But before we get to the
Epiphany of His wisdom in the Temple, we hear that Joseph and Mary lost the boy
and started searching for Him. And in a way, this is familiar to us. Everyone’s
searching for something, right? They’re dissatisfied, disappointed, distraught,
and they’re looking for that one thing that’s going to make all the difference.
But as the U2 song says, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Here’s
the thing, you don’t even know what you’re looking for. The solutions we come
up with never last. There’s always a catch or it doesn’t work the way we want. So
we don’t stick with it, we move on, searching for something else, telling
ourselves this time I’ll find the answer. At the root of this endless questing
is a heart of sin – always grasping and groping for something we don’t have. Eve
got it into her head that the fruit of the tree was to be desired to make one
wise. And so rather than trust in the wisdom of God which said, “Don’t eat
that,” she searched for something better, she grasped, she took of the fruit
and ate, and Adam did it with her. And sinners have been casting around,
looking for their own good ever since.
Mary and Joseph searched for
Jesus, not realizing how obvious it is to find Him in the Temple. When his parents saw
him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you
treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great
distress.” She who had accepted the Word from Gabriel with such
simple faith, is now confused. In her frantic worry she has forgotten the
answer that has been there from God all along. This boy’s father is not Joseph.
And this boy’s name is Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. He said to them, “Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not
understand the saying that he spoke to them. They found Him… but
they don’t understand. Then they haven’t really found Him. Why were you even
searching? You know where He should be. Look around you, Mary! He’s in the
Temple, in His Father’s House, among His Father’s things, about His Father’s
business. He’s busy with the Word of God, surrounded by the sacrifices that make
atonement. He is Jesus – the One who saves His people from their sins.
What Mary and Joseph don’t
understand is that Jesus is predicting His passion and death. They had just
been to Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus is the Passover Lamb to be
sacrificed. They are in the Temple courts where the smoke from the burnt
offerings can be seen and smelt. Jesus is the sacrifice to be burned in the
Father’s wrath on the cross. The Temple altars are covered and cleansed by the
sprinkling of blood. The blood of Jesus will be sprinkled on His people to
cleanse them from all sin. When Jesus says, “It is necessary that I am among
the things of My Father,” He is telling them why He is on this earth with us at
all. He will return to Jerusalem one day, years later. He will come to do His
Father’s will and He will offer the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Not only
will He come to that Temple, but He will make a place for all of us in His
Father’s House. Although St. Mary does end up doing the right thing (she treasured up all these things in her heart),
they don’t understand what it all means. Like the disciples themselves, who
hear Christ predict His passion, death, and resurrection in even more
straightforward terms, they don’t understand until after it happens. In the
light of the resurrection the life, the death, and all the sayings of Jesus,
and all the Scriptures, are made clear and illuminating. Thanks be to God, we
now have all that. We have the benefit of seeing and hearing it all together. We
are able to bask in the enlightenment of our Lord’s revelation.
Yet, what we still don’t
understand is that our highest good, our ultimate meaning, our true purpose
doesn’t have to be searched for. It is found already. It is in Christ. But
everyone keeps searching for something. St. Augustine realized this and he
shows us the solution in his famous line: “O Lord, You have made us for
Yourself, and our hearts are restless until we rest in You.” We are made for
life with God. Nothing else is going to satisfy. Nothing else will give the
identity, security, meaning, or purpose you’re looking for.
So here’s the Lord’s Epiphany
for you: Your search is over! Not because you found whatever it is you think
you’re looking for. But your search is over because He found you. You haven’t
lost God. And He doesn’t make it hard to find Him. “Why were you looking for Me?” says Jesus. “Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s House?” Our Lord reveals
Himself. He pins Himself down in His Father’s House, among His Father’s things:
in His Word, in His Baptism, and in His Supper. These are His epiphanies for
you, and the gifts of His goodness for you. He promises to be there and so you
can be sure He is. He doesn’t send you on long and winding or broken roads. He
comes to you in the here and now, in water and words, bread and wine. He asks
nothing of you, save that you trust what He says and receive what He gives. So come into His presence with singing! Know
that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His
courts with praise! For the Lord is
good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all
generations. (Introit: Psalm 100)
In the Holy + Name of Jesus –
